Tooth Update + Hustle + Being Obsessed
Fighting through infection actually led to some much-needed clarity thanks to The Sandman and an Instagram influencer...
It is time for a tooth update.
You may remember from a week or so ago that I suffered through a dentist emergency. If you don’t, I detailed it in great depth here:
To give you a rapid-fire recap; my wisdom tooth on my left side basically cut through at a funny angle, piercing a hole in my cheek and in my gum. It was as brutal as it sounds.
As I was writing that piece, I pondered if having my mouth probed and prodded was less or more painful than having to watch the Jets on Sunday Night Football against the Raiders. As it turned out, the latter turned out to be ten times more painful.
However, Karma then paid me a visit. And, let me tell you, I would have preferred a visit from the Grim Reaper.
Not only was there a giant hole in my left cheek / gum area, but that then led to a massive infection that as good as wiped me out for an entire week. I’m lucky in that my pain threshold is pretty good and I also don’t tend to get ill very often but, let me tell you, this was worse than a firm kick in the balls.
I’m being serious.
I didn’t have the energy to do anything and I was in a constant horrific mood because I couldn’t eat. And, like most men, when I don’t eat I’m not exactly a lot of fun to be around.
Not being able to eat or write or focus on anything for more than two minutes before the unbearable pain brought me to my knees proved to be a poop-fecta that was sent from the fiery depths of hell.
And having to swirl repulsive warm salt water around in my wounded mouth several times a day proved to be the cherry on top of the hot fudge shit Sunday.
It sucked coconuts, basically.
The good news is that the infection - and the excruciating pain - is now gone and I’ve made up for lost time by shoveling cheeseburgers in my mouth as if they are about to join the dinosaurs in becoming extinct (if that ever happened, I would be wanting off Planet Earth in a hurry).
I also gleaned an important new outlook while I was condemned to being more useless than normal.
Unable to really work - I’m sorry for the quiet spell my brilliant and loyal readers - I did what everyone else does when they aren’t feeling great…
Hit up Netflix.
I ran through the usual pick-me-ups - The Office, The Big Bang Theory, Grace & Frankie - and after watching Moneyball for the millionth and one time, I decided to watch Hustle yet again.
Now, if you haven’t seen it, that’s your first mistake. Stop whatever you are doing and watch it now. You won’t regret it.
But Hustle, starring Adam Sandler - The Sandman doesn’t get nearly enough credit for his more serious roles, by the way - is about a battered and down-on-his-luck scout for the 76ers, who discovers a hidden gem in Spain. Sandler’s character, Stanley Sugerman, takes on the role of mentor for Bo Cruz, portrayed by real-life NBA player Juancho Hernangómez, and the unlikely duo battle throughout the film to prove that they both belong in the NBA.
It’s just a really fun and feel-good film, but one with a slew of important life lessons littered throughout it. Hustle highlights the importance of being truly obsessed with your craft, as well as never, ever giving up on your dream. No matter how many hurdles are placed in your path.
Hustle had a profound impact on my life, and it is arguably one of the most important films I’ve consumed over the past decade or so. It really did help to sharpen my focus and hone in on the art form of being obsessed.
I bring this up because, shortly after watching Hustle on my death bed (okay, now I’m being dramatic), I stumbled upon a content creator on Instagram as if it was meant to be. It was almost as if the social media gods tapped into my phone and realized that I needed more guidance when it comes to truly devoting yourself to your chosen craft. Up popped Zach Pogrob, who has built his entire brand on being obsessed. He boasts a whopping 1.5 million followers on Insta alone, and it isn’t being hyperbolic to suggest that he has been the guardian angel I so desperately needed at exactly the right time.
See, for those of you who know me, you will be aware that I suffer from Imposter Syndrome. It is a a persistent little fucker that likes to hit you right in the gut when you least expect it. It reared its ugly head while I was shut down because of that mouth infection, and it was almost taunting me as I was unable to muster the strength to open up the laptop and type away. It came at me with brute force, weaving its way into my very DNA before forcing me to question anything and everything about my chosen path.
It wasn’t pretty.
Being obsessed with one thing and diverting every ounce of your energy to that one thing is a lonely enough path as it is. You don’t need an annoying and vindictive little voice piling on as well.
However, after watching Hustle and following hours of scrolling through Zach’s Insta page, where I inhaled every brilliant and awe-inspiring quote and message about the importance of being obsessed, of not settling or compromising, of embracing the pain and suffering and leaning into the dark side in order to help you achieve the goals and life you want and so desperately crave, I was hit with several lightning bolts of motivation.
All of a sudden, I felt new life surge through my body and all of the self-doubt just oozed away. Like magic. It was exhilarating and so freeing all at once and I was served the perfect reminder that all of the outside noise - as well as the internal noise that rages inside our minds - doesn’t matter. As long as we are devoted and committed to staying on our chosen path, to embracing the suffering that comes with being obsessed and that you need to encounter in order to achieve greatness and to stand atop the peak of the mountain, then everything else is just secondary. It doesn’t matter if family or close friends don’t get you or don’t see what you see, following your obsession is the only path forward.
Going all in and being obsessed is the only way to show the world who you truly are. And we should all be striving for that.
So, as frustrating as it was to be limited work wise, the downtime actually proved life defining in terms of the lessons I gleaned and the affirmation I needed to continue to follow my obsession to wherever it takes me.
Big things are coming and I’m so pumped you are all a part of it.
Oh, I also discovered that if you notice a gaping hole in your mouth, it is probably best to get that checked before it gets infected. Again, I’d rather take a kick in the cubes then suffer through that mouth pain again.
Here’s to avoiding the dentist and remaining obsessed in your pursuit of greatness.
Have a great Thanksgiving weekend.